What is the cost of a commute?

The average Australian spends $99 on commuting costs every week. How much could you be saving by switching to public transport?

Joshua Godfrey's headshot

By

Joshua Godfrey

Edited by

Jason Loewenthal

Updated

Fact checked

Key takeaways

  • Australians average $99 weekly on commutes ($4367 annually), with fuel making up $42 of that cost.
  • Brisbane commuters enjoy the lowest public transport costs at $5 weekly due to a flat fare.
  • Public transport is often cheaper than driving, potentially saving up to $177 weekly from outer suburbs like Pakenham Melbourne.
Whether you hop on a ferry in Sydney Harbour, slip into a packed Melbourne tram or drive through Adelaide's hilly suburbs, commuting to work is part of most people's daily routine.

We explored how much Australians are spending on their daily commute, the cost of taking public transport versus driving and how our commuting habits have changed.

How much do Australians spend on commuting costs?

According to Finder analysis, the average person spends approximately $99 per week on commuting costs – equivalent to $4,367 per year once public holidays, annual leave and sick leave are taken into account. This includes $42 for fuel, but toll roads, parking and other car ownership costs like car insurance are excluded. Meanwhile, public transport costs Australians $39 per week on average.

We also calculated how much walking and cycling costs you based on caloric output – a single calorie costs around 0.4 cents on average. For the average person, this translates to a cost of $4.57 per week for walking and $1.57 for riding their bike or scooter.

How much does it cost to take public transport to work?

The cost of a commute on public transport varies by city and can cost as much as $55 per week if you're travelling through both zones in Melbourne.

Public transport can cost just $32 per week in Sydney (for less than 3km travelled by bus) or $35 in Perth (for zone 1 travel) and $35 per week in Melbourne (for zone 2 travel).

However, Brisbane is easily the cheapest city to catch public transport to work after the government reduced all fares to a flat rate of 50 cents.

In Adelaide, transport fares stay the same regardless of distance travelled, excluding off-peak and concession fares.

Is it cheaper to take public transport or to drive to work?

To catch the train or to drive in the comfort of your own car? It's a common dilemma and there are pros and cons to both options. In the winter, waiting for your train or bus could have you shivering outside in the cold, but driving usually comes out as the pricier option – especially if you have to pay for parking.

We calculated the cost of driving to work versus taking public transport from major outer city suburbs in several cities.

How have fuel prices changed Australian driving habits?

The price of fuel has fallen by 7.9% in the last year, according to the Consumer Price Index. This reduced petrol-related stress for some Australians. In July 2022, 34% of people ranked petrol as 1 of their top 3 most stressful expenses. This has dropped to just 15% in February 2025, according to Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker.

Sources

Jason Loewenthal's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal as part of our fact-checking process.
Joshua Godfrey's headshot
Written by

Senior Insights Analyst

Joshua Godfrey is a Senior Insights Analyst at Finder, specialising in data analysis and identifying emerging trends through the Consumer Sentiment Tracker, a monthly survey on Australians' financial attitudes. He has authored Finder’s 2024 Wealth Building Report and 2025 First Home Buyer Report which have been widely quoted in top media outlets like the AFR and news.com.au. With a Bachelor of Business in Finance and Marketing and a Diploma of Creative Intelligence from UTS, Josh is passionate about uncovering patterns in consumer sentiment and exploring how they influence the future of finance. See full bio

Joshua's expertise
Joshua has written 42 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Data and analytics
  • Money trends
  • Data journalism
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